But Marc Eagan, president of Eagan Insurance Agency, a local agency that connects customers to 20 carriers, and a board member for the Independent Insurance Agents of Greater New Orleans Inc., said personal boat insurance holders should expect changes to their policies.

The most apparent change will be an endorsement added to any new or renewed policy that excludes coverage for any damage caused by oil or pollutants, Eagan said.

Other changes are not really changes at all, Eagan said, but the use of personal boats in the oil spill cleanup has made it necessary to emphasize them.

For one, recreational boat owners who have only personal boat insurance but use their boat for business ­ such as cleanup for the spill ­-- have to buy a separate policy.

"If they use that boat for business and accept a check, they will not be covered," Eagan said.

In addition, there is an exclusion of coverage for someone who does not own the boat.

Someone who borrows a boat, for example, will not be covered under the insurance. Eagan said this is comparable to borrowing someone's car.

"If I borrow your car, I wouldn't have coverage under your policy," he said.

It may also become more difficult and more expensive for people to get new commercial insurance, Eagan said. Insurance companies are going to be more hesitant to make the insurance available, he said, with so many people doing work for which they have little or no experience.

"The insurance industry is trying to protect itself from overabundant claims," Eagan said.

As of now, some local boat dealers said they are experiencing a decline in sales, but did not think the availability of boat insurance was behind the decline.

Floyd Pitcher, business manager for Bent Marine, said many customers line up their insurance before they decide to buy a boat.

"As of now we haven't had trouble (with insurance availability), but to be fair we haven't seen as many retail customers," Pitcher said.

Steven Sbisa, owner of Aqua Marine, also said insurance has not yet become a problem, but overall sales are lower than usual.

"Generally, this time of year we're supposed to be on fire. But it's just average," Sbisa said.

Although State Farm has not changed its boat insurance policies, spokeswoman Holly Anderson urged customers of any agency to keep updated.

"We do think it's important for folks to have conversations with their agents," Anderson said.

Masako Hirsch can be reached at mhirsch@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3330.